Tag Archives: Napa Valley

Opus One

The first glass of Opus One that I ever had was in 1986 at a charity event for the grand opening of a restaurant in Detroit called Opus One.  James Kokas was the third generation of restaurateurs in Detroit, and … Continue reading

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“He Looks Like a Burned Out Old Hippy”

That was a statement I heard from a lady talking to her companion after meeting the gregarious Jim Prager of Prager Winery and Port Works.  We entered a very quaint tasting room and retail shop, and everybody’s whispers could be … Continue reading

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Domaine Chandon

  The first French owned winery in California is by Moet & Chandon, called Domaine Chandon.  A beautiful designed winery that blends into the hillside and the environment.  I wish that I could show you the pictures that we took, … Continue reading

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St. Supery

I remember trying a St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon in a restaurant on a business trip to Chicago and thought it was a great value.  When I got home, I had no luck finding any of the wines.  So when we … Continue reading

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The Hess Collection and a Flaming Underwood Typewriter

Since we were staying in the City of Napa, one of the first wineries we visited was about ten miles away on Mount Veeder.  I had never tasted any of their wines as I had never encountered them back home, … Continue reading

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Bouchon

In France it means a cork, in Yountville, Napa Valley it is the name of Thomas Keller’s bistro.  Thomas Keller is a name that is respected by gourmets and “foodies’ alike.  Thomas Keller has The French Laundry in Yountville, but … Continue reading

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Mumm(s) The Word

OK, I couldn’t resist sounding a bit like a Damon Runyon character, on the day we made a trip to Mumm Napa Valley.  We stopped by, just in time to take a tour of the winery; they have several tours … Continue reading

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Pampering, Wine and Shopping

One of the first things we did in Napa was to take a drive to the north end of the valley to Calistoga.  We were going to a spa.  I had never been to a spa before, and had never … Continue reading

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Plumpjack

Queen Elizabeth dubbed Sir John Falstaff from Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” and the owners of a restaurant in San Francisco in the Fillmore district liked it and used it.  When we were at Caymus Winery, there was another group that was … Continue reading

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Chanterelle – Voted Napa Valley’s Most Romantic Restaurant

With a tag-line like that, we knew that we had to try this restaurant.  This series on Napa Valley will be interspersed with visits to restaurants, as this is part of the allure of Napa.  Quality food is integral to … Continue reading

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